FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for a 6-year-old deaf girl who lost a critical component of her cochlear implant, which gives her the ability to hear.

Chloe Kalas was playing at the park when the component fell off and she was unable to find it. Chloe’s mom Elizabeth and her husband searched the park seven different times but came up empty-handed.

Elizabeth Kalas explained that Chloe had just recovered from an infection where the magnet inside her head was killing her skin, making Chloe have to wear a weaker magnet. The weaker magnet caused the component to fall off numerous times.

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Without the component, Chloe is completely deaf and must rely on sign language. Kalas added that with her daughter going into grade one this year, a new cochlear implant is a must since it’s already difficult for someone who uses an implant to hear in a school environment.

“Without this, she hears nothing, so she’s a bit further behind, speech-wise,” said Kalas.

A new processor for the cochlear implant costs $11,130 while the cable and coil cost an additional $370. Kalas added that the family can handle the cost of the cable and coil, but the processor is currently beyond their means.

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